Edge of Eden Prologue
by gortaithe
Summary: This is an introductory chapter for an OC. This is a prologue/intro for the story Edge of Eden that takes place at the end of Trigun Maximum. I change a few things, so check it out!


Prologue

Madden

It is strange how you are swimming in nothingness and suddenly you exist again, or perhaps you are only aware of your existence and oh how strange. Waking from such a state is painful. I didn't realize just how painful until I opened my eyes. One moment you are master of all that you perceive and the next moment you are in absolute helplessness.

That is how I was awakened.

Blinding and painfully.

The light was very dim, but loud. I know that doesn't make sense. But in this stage you can't make sense while needles are stabbing you in the neck, through nearly frozen skin. The injections are even colder still. The odd sensation is akin to cold webs snaking through my body. I can feel pressure at the back of my brain and my sight begins to clear.

I register sounds and the familiar yet long absent beat of my heart begins to quicken. Warmth burns inside my chest and spreads quickly while the numbness in my legs begins to recede. I hear the sounds of flesh snapping against metal. I begin to comprehend that it is my flesh that shakes and jerks on its own.

From nothing to everything.

So heavy.

There is only one question in my mind. _How long this time?_ _What time is it now?_

My mind races to make sense, to just rationalize and understand.

_Banished and sent away to nowhere. Are we nowhere yet?_

I see flashes in my memory some that are my own and some that are not.

_Chronica. Are you still with me?_

Before I could tell myself to stop, I was seeing, feeling, knowing things that were not my own reflections.

A ship, no; I see many ships. Battle Hammers, Station Cruisers and a single thing. No, not a thing, I see a man that is not a man. Hate flares throughout me and I feel very hot tears trailing my temples. Hot wetness burns my cold ears and I choke as I gasp for breath.

Clarity explodes and I see Domina partially transformed. I see winged extensions protruding through bloodied wounds that no longer wept and knew she was dead. Her dead white eyes opened wide in a silent scream.

Oh God!

I separated myself from Chronica's mind. I shut my eyes and lifted my atrophied arms straining in effort to press my fists into my eyes. I could not breathe and tasted the saltiness at the back of my throat. I heard the weak protests of my body trying to cough but could not.

Then a loud pinching wail filled my ears. I heard shouts from a booming deep voice. Something hot gripped my shoulders in effort to pull me up. Well, at least what I thought was up.

"Put her on her side. Where's Banse? Who authorized this?" A smooth deep voice said with irritation. I could tell by the effort in his voice he was the one lifting me up. I could not remember him.

"Banse went above, he's the one that sent us authorization from Captain." a woman's voice thinly explained. She seemed to fear the man that held me.

"Who mixed up the sequence? She's wide awake!" I heard rustling from behind and something near as hot as fire enveloped me. Someone slapped at my back and finally air screeched past my throat in a crude harsh sound. "She's like ice to touch. You! Shut it off now!"

"It's automated, sir." the woman yelled.

"Don't just stand there, go get Banse." The man continued to press the fire hard against my skin. Pain blazed and all I could see were shapes and shadows. I could not scream I could only lay helplessly cocooned in the inferno.

"Hang in there Madden." He kept saying while he rubbed me down. I heard foot steps hurriedly approach.

"Pull out the I.V.'s." Banse seemed to gasp and I felt his hand press sharply against my neck, "Tissue is still too cold for full circulation."

I tried to mentally brace for the pain. The man holding me gripped the hypodermics and proceeded wrench them out. I tried to scream, but again my lungs too fragile to scream.

"Give me the oxygen!" the man holding me said.

"No!" I heard Banse shout crucially, "It's too damn cold out of tank! You're going to have to use your own breath."

"My breath? You do it! I'll hold her."

"I don't have your lung capacity." Banse said truthfully.

I heard the man holding me suck in a deep exasperated breath. "She's going to kill me for this."

I felt him lean over and hover a moment before my face, then I felt a hot mouth envelop my own. Then searing air filled my lungs to almost bursting until the man holding me found the natural measure of my breath. The pain had become so constant by this point; I no longer seemed to feel it.

Eventually, my lungs began to fight against his forced breath. My body furnished warmth and throbbing tingles traced along my skin told me that I was going to be alright. The pain subsided as I panted on my own. My cheeks felt flushed with heat because the man that held me still had his mouth planted firmly against mine.

What was he waiting for?

How did he know me?

I let out a harsh grunt, to let him know I was just fine. I would have spoken but my tongue and jaw remained pitilessly still. His warmth moved away and frigid air touched at my face. I still could not focus but I was delighted to find that I could blink.

"She is past the critical stage. Good work, Leisum. Glad you didn't shrink from task." Banse said jokingly.

"Please sir, she can hear everything you're saying." Leisum said as he lifted me up and carried me to the med cots.

My mind was racing. I knew Banse very well, but of this Leisum I had no recollection. Leisum however seemed to know who I was. Why would he think I would kill him?

Gently, Leisum laid me down and pulled warmed blankets up to my chin. I could see the cloudy figures moving around and then a face hovered in front of mine. I blinked quickly trying to move the murkiness away. I could make out two dark rims and I felt a warm finger prying my eyes lids further open. Cool drops slapped against my eyes and my vision improved very quickly with each flutter of my eyes.

Banse and who I could assume was Leisum stood at my side. Banse smiled while Leisum kept his eyes averted elsewhere. I tried again to speak but the inside of my mouth felt full of cotton. I swallowed and pushed my tongue around my mouth trying to salivate.

Banse stepped forward edging a straw into my lips. I could see lights being reflected on top of his bald head and I could see my reflection in his dark set glasses. I was surprised to see that my face had become swollen.

I looked like two shades of hell.

Make that three.

"How long?" I forced through the breaks between sips of water.

Banse looked uncomfortable and looked away several times before answering. "You've been in stasis for about three years."

"What happened? The agenda was for twenty five years at the least. Tell me what happened." I had managed to gather a tight grip on Banse's top and pulled down as well as I could.

"At eight months into the mission we received a transmission from Project Seeds." He paused and nodded his head toward Leisum. Leisum nodded in return and left.

"My brain is foggy. Project Seeds? That discovery mission over a hundred years ago?" I said as I tried to sit up and drink on my own.

"You may want to wait on that." Banse tried to force me back down. "You have to follow protocol. You are in stage IV initiation. Bed rest for twelve hours is mandatory. We'll talk as soon as you've restored your form."

I felt so weak I couldn't resist him as he pressed me back onto the covers. Despite my efforts I felt that old anger get the better of me and my face began to flush. I did my best to keep an impartial façade and nodded. A questioned burned at my brain and before Banse could wrangle away from me I said her name. I knew full well I shouldn't have but I risked exposure of my ability anyway.

"Domina?" I said with a voice a step above a whisper. Erratic images were still flashing in my mind.

Banse's eyes widened with shock.

"She is dead Professor. I know she was close to you and Chronica." He patted my shoulder in a heartening gesture.

Hot tears sprung into my eyes. "I had hoped I was wrong. When did it happen, Banse?"

He stood saying nothing for moment and exhaled, "Six months ago we encountered a Meglointegrated Independent."

I felt my mouth drop open. My mind clashed for a few moments as I recalled the Meglointegrated Independent we had dealt with back home on Earth.

"That's impossible, Banse. All Independents were altered. I reconstructed their code myself." My brow tightened with strained concentration. My brain was simply refusing to comprehend.

"It wasn't one of ours. It was from the Plants on Project Seeds." Banse looked so old at that moment. I knew that he had seen that battle first hand.

"Where are we?"

"Planet Sentel, in the Centauri sector." Banse gently pried my fingers open and took out a cloth to wipe the sweat that had beaded his brow. He took a step away from me, "Professor, I'm sorry but you must rest. These events are too much to take on for now. I will see you tomorrow."

"How did she die?"

"Professor, please…" Banse leaned back on his feet for a moment.

"Failure of fusion." I said offhand, remembering the multiple winged branches I had seen in Chronica's scattered memories.

I saw his brow flicker. He wanted to know how I knew such things but for the sake of my recovery he simply nodded. He turned and hurriedly walked from the room, leaving me alone with my bewildered thoughts.

It wasn't long before anger seethed inside my skull. Though everything throbbed with renewed warmth, I felt the thrum of anxious energy. I tested every muscle in my body until I was able to sit up and swing my legs over the edge of the bed.

I pulled the rough spun cover off and saw how swollen I'd become. My legs, arms, hands looked twice their size. I felt my face pushing at the bloated skin around my jowls. My stasis clothes were tight to bursting.

It was wrong.

First I almost die because the reanimation process was defective. I was revived only three years into what was supposed to be a century long mission. The dearest if not only friend of Chronica was truly dead and had been for over six months.

Why hadn't I been awoken then? Why didn't she wake me?

I was thankful there were no mirrors in the room. I'm sure I looked exactly how I felt. I stepped slowly off of the bed and felt the uncomfortable fiery sensation at the soles of my feet.

I felt so heavy!

I gathered the blanket and wrapped it tightly around me and made slow progress to the call panel on the wall beside the door.

After a few muddled tries I heard the click and to my surprise the Captain himself answered the communication.

"… this is a private channel…"

"Captain, my apologies, I was trying to get in touch with Commander Chronica. I entered your destination by mistake." Talking was becoming an unpleasant task. I had to pause at moments to remoisten the inside of my mouth. My perceptions were still erratic and speech was that much harder.

"Professor Madden?" A rich timbre of surprise managed to communicate through the receiver.

"Yes, sir. I require assistance."

"I would imagine you would. I've only given the order three hours ago."

"An order that should have come six months ago, sir." I said bitterly and did very little to hide my fury. I've managed to fall so far from any kind of grace, why stop for fear of disrespecting a much decorated officer.

I never thought myself sane or truly rational.

"Fair enough, Professor. I'll be there presently." The Captain's voice was unexpectedly morose. I heard him gather a deep breath before he broke communications.

**AN: **Aaaaand yeah, this is an important chapter or prologue rather to Edge of Eden. I didn't post it originally because it featured a new character and I thought I could get away without using it. But as it stands, i integrated this character rather intimately into the story. Don't worry though, I want to flesh her out a great deal before she has a chapter of her own. Also, keep an eye out for another character i'll be introducing. He's going to be pretty awesome but again, must be fleshed out.


End file.
